Surprise joins other government/business leaders in support of Luke AFB
SURPRISE, AZ (October 15, 2009) Surprise Mayor Lyn Truitt joined Governor Jan Brewer and other government and business leaders at the Arizona Capitol this week in kicking off the Luke Forward statewide campaign to bring the new F-35 joint strike fighter to Luke Air Force Base.
"We must come together in support of Luke Air Force Base and promote the base as the future home of the F-35,” said Mayor Lyn Truitt, Co-Chair of the Luke/West Valley Mayor’s Council. “An active and strong Luke is important to the West Valley, the state and the entire country.”
Luke Air Force Base is currently the largest active-duty F-16 training base in the world. The Air Force is beginning to replace its F-16 fleet with the new F-35 Lightning II. By the end of the year, the Air Force is expected to release its initial short list of military bases that could house the F-35’s training mission. A final F-35 basing decision is due in early 2011.
Through the Luke Forward campaign, state and local government and business leaders plan to generate support from citizens across Arizona to show the decision makers in Washington, D.C. that Arizona is committed to and in support of the F-35 training mission.
"Luke is the ideal location for this advanced strike fighter, but we need to continue working closely with our federal delegation, the Department of Defense and the Pentagon to demonstrate our state’s preparedness and commitment to continue this partnership with the Air Force,” said Gov. Brewer.
Residents can learn more and register their support for the F-35 training mission at Luke online at www.lukeforward.com or by calling 623.882.2191.
Luke AFB contributes more than 8,000 jobs and $2.17 billion annually to the state’s economy. In addition, due to its location in the Valley, Luke serves a total population of more than 100,000 military family members and retirees through medical and dental on-base services.
West Valley Partners include Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Gila Bend, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Maricopa County, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, Tolleson, Wickenburg and Youngtown.
Fighter Country Partnership is a non-profit organization that supports the men, women and families of Luke Air Force Base and works to protect and enhance the base’s mission.
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